New to E-Commerce? We Can Help.

E-commerce has changed logistics; PCA can help companies get up to speed more quickly.

As more products become available for anyone in the world to buy anything from anywhere with the click of a button, the demand for robust packaging solutions to get those products safely to a final destination also rises. E-commerce packaging demand is forecasted to grow 15% year over year through 2025 as existing businesses expand and more new ventures are launched.

As one of the largest suppliers of corrugated packaging in the U.S., we’ve seen the e-commerce trend introduce a whole new customer segment. Companies new to this market will quickly realize that packaging is one of the most important foundations of their business, and they’ll need to craft the most effective and efficient packaging strategy.

For 20 years PCA has offered our customers a comprehensive audit of their operations. It’s a highly-collaborative, three-day, in-person process to uncover the maximum amount of cost savings. We can jump in with our expertise to lend an unbiased, third-party evaluation.

Get expert e-commerce advice below

We have decades of experience advising companies how to operate more efficiently. Here are some common scenarios.

Less Isn’t Always Best

For example, it might seem logical to assume that reducing the number of box sizes used to ship products would be more efficient. Better to use only two sizes for all your goods than contend with ten, right?

We guide our customers through decisions like these, bringing to light other considerations. Reducing the number of box sizes can mean using boxes that are too large for certain products. A too-large box with additional filler inflates shipping costs per box — often snowballing into much larger sums than sticking with right-sized boxes.

Rapid Growth

Rapid growth can be an entrepreneur’s dream, but growing quickly can expose vulnerabilities.

Several times a year PCA is asked to consult with rapidly growing companies who are increasing order volume due to growing e-commerce demands. Using an approach from several months ago may not fit today’s needs. Be prepared to be flexible, nimble, and vigilant about monitoring shipping costs and changing your packaging strategies.

Marketing-Oriented Packaging

Custom packaging can expand your brand presence and help create a unique customer experience in-store or upon receipt at the front door. Going custom means there are a wide array of choices available to create your dream package. It’s important to understand all of the options and the impact they will have to both operations and marketing goals as well as to the bottom line.

Ships in Own Container (SIOC) packaging serves double duty performing as both the informative and highly graphic primary package but durable enough to also be the shipping container. Sounds perfect, right? But if done incorrectly, the outside graphics can raise the risk of front porch theft. The quantity and frequency of your packaging purchases can also impact costs as well as how often you plan to change graphics. It’s best to have a clear forecast before embarking on the custom packaging design journey.

Need help solving ecommerce logistics and shipping conundrums? Contact us through the form below for help with efficient and effective packaging strategies.

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